Re: Questions from Face to Face

>>* Guideline 1 - Perceivable
>>o Checkpoint 1.1 Provide a text equivalent for all non-text content.
>
>  * For images, does this mean I have to have an alt text for all images?

Yes. I believe we are all aware that HTML 4.01 *requires* alt on 
<img> and elsewhere.

>* For images, does this mean I have to use a long description for all i mages?

No, only where warranted.

>  * Does this require a text equivalent for every QT movie, Flash 
>element or PDF it they meet Guideline 5?

Inside <object>, probably. (Just a functional equivalent will do 
there: "Star Wars trailer.") Inside <embed>, probably not, though I 
suppose you could use title="".

>>o Checkpoint 1.2 Provide synchronized media equivalents for 
>>time-dependen t presentations.
>
>* Do all video presentations require captions and audio descriptions?

No, but fewer presentations do not require captions than you think. 
Many more video types do not require descriptions.

>  * Will text description suffice in video with no sound?

I wouldn't use it unless I were too poor to do audio description. 
It's really not good enough. I don't see why something like a long 
description couldn't suffice, though-- just a paragraph or two.

>>  o Checkpoint 1.3 Make all content and structure available 
>>independently o f presentation.
>
>  * Do all HTML pages require CSS?

They all *use* CSS in CSS-capable browsers, which is nearly all of 
them now. Even for a page that does not declare its own CSS, the 
browser uses its own default stylesheet, which you can actually 
locate on a hard drive if you look for it.

>* Can I use the <font> tag?

In HTML variants where it is not deprecated, yes, and even when it 
is, it's not so bad:

	<font class="v" face="Verdana" size="+1">
and
	.v { font-family: Verdana, Trebuchet, Georgia, Geneva, 
Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px }

works in pretty much every browser since 1996.

>>* Guideline 2 Operable
>>o Checkpoint 2.1 Provide keyboard access to all functionality of 
>>the cont ent. *
>
>Do all forms require the use of accesskey?

Unfortunately, that does seem to be the requirement as written. I 
think it's too strong.

>  * Do all controls of technologies other than XML applications 
>require s hortcut keys? i.e. does the play button of a video player 
>require a shortcut ke y?

Yes, definitely.

>>  o Checkpoint 2.2 Allow users to control any time limits on their 
>>response or interactions times unless control is not possible to 
>>due to nature of real- time events or competition.
>
>  * Can online exams ever be limited to a specific?

To a specific time? Yes, there are already exceptions for such things.

>>* o Checkpoint 2.3 Avoid causing the screen to flicker.
>
>* Can something 'blink' for a short time and stop?

Like an animated GIF that loops exactly once? Good question!

>>* Guideline 3 - Orientation/Navigation
>>o Checkpoint 3.1 Provide structure within content.
>
>* Do all HTML pages require use of <h1> through <h6> elements?

No, just valid markup. <p></p> is structural. So is <input> or 
<samp>. It all depends.

>>  o Checkpoint 3.2 Emphasize structure through presentation(s), 
>>positioning , and labels.
>
>* Do all heading elements have to be formatting differently? i.e 
>does < h3> have to be different <h4> in HTML?

A CSS question. No, they don't. I cover this in my forthcoming book.

>>  o Checkpoint 3.3 Provide multiple site navigation mechanisms.
>
>* Does a site with 5 pages need to meet this standard? If not, how 
>larg e is large enough?

This needs to be clarified.

>>o Checkpoint 4.4 Identify the primary natural language of text and 
>>text e quivalents and all changes in natural language.
>
>* What about phrases that have coopted by the primary language? For 
>exa mple the City of Prarie du Chien in Wisconsin, U.S. is not 
>pronounced in French .

But it isn't a French word anymore (tennis and rendezvous aren't, 
either). Sushi isn't a Japanese word anymore. Loanwords are clearly 
exempt, and arguably proper names should always be exempt.

>>* Guideline 5 - Pot Luck
>>o Checkpoint 5.1 Use technologies according to specification.
>
>* How are these specifications identified and ratified?

Well, I mean, I don't know where this question is coming from. Ever 
heard of the W3?

>>  o Checkpoint 5.2 Ensure that content remains usable when 
>>technologies tha t modify default user agent processing or behavior 
>>are turned off or not suppor ted.
>
>* Does that mean every element that is not written as an XML 
>applicatio n must have a text equivalent?

Explain, please.

>>  o Checkpoint 5.3 Choose technologies that support interoperability 
>>and co mpatibility.
>
>* Does this mean that only W3C technologies are accessible (other 
>than GIF and JPEG)? * What technologies fit this category?

Well, quite obviously not. PDF and Flash are interoperable and are at 
least minimally accessible. The Flash bit you should probably have 
heard about.

>>o Checkpoint 5.4 Ensure that user interfaces are accessible or 
>>provide an accessible alternative.
>
>* The success criteria refer to accessibility conventions. How are 
>thes e conventions identified and ratified?

This also needs explaining.
-- 

     Joe Clark | joeclark@joeclark.org
     Accessibility <http://joeclark.org/access/>
     Weblogs and articles <http://joeclark.org/weblogs/>
     <http://joeclark.org/writing/> | <http://fawny.org/>

Received on Tuesday, 26 March 2002 20:37:25 UTC